


Growing Up Gallagher

by r_gally37



Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: Daddy!Ian, Daddy!Mickey, Family, Future Fic, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-14
Updated: 2015-11-21
Packaged: 2018-03-17 18:52:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 14,579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3540290
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/r_gally37/pseuds/r_gally37
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Some future fic one shots i write during classes based on Mickey and Ian and their kids.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Morning in May

Chapter 1: A Morning in May

Its one of those things that sneaks up on you. You’ve been moving non-stop for the past 18 years to wake up one morning and realize that you have your own clan. 6 Gallagher children all of your own. 

“Hey Mick…. how the hell did it happen?” you ask your husband of 14 years. 

“What Gallagher?” 

“We have six kids.” 

“i know. and?” 

“Mickey, how in the hell did we get six fucking kids?” 

“Well, you see when a mommy and a daddy don’t love each other, they tend to pawn off their children, and give them to two daddies that do love each other.” your husband replies and you smack him upside the head for it. 

“What the hell are we doing?” You ask him. 

“What? You wanna sell one?” he asks chuckling “We could get a pretty good price for the twins? Or the little one… she’s cute.” he finishes. 

“Maybe, we’ll have to think about it.” you joke as you roll out of bed to wake up your brood on the sunny tuesday spring morning. Walking out into the hallway you ring the bell outside the bathroom that wakes up all of the children at once. An assortment of groans fills the old Milkovich house as your Gallaghers ready themselves for the day, and you laugh at the irony of this happy family living in the Milkovich house of horrors. 

After you shower and dress, you know you have exactly 12 minutes before the first kid walks downstairs expecting breakfast. You crack a dozen eggs into the frying pan and start scrambling, while your husband, still in his pajamas, starts toasting bread and pulling out silver wear. Its a nice routine, something that reminds you of your childhood when Fiona would institute family breakfasts, before Jimmy/Steve and bi-polar disorder and life in the south side pulled your family apart. 

Yev walks down first, throws his backpack into the family room and fills his plate with food. He’s in one of his typical teenage angst moods and Ian smirks knowing the kid will soon grow out of his punk rock, trying to be a musician phase. Mickey, on the other hand is not very tolerable of the moody kid that Yev has grown up into. 

“Good Morning Dads! Good morning Yev, anything exciting today? No, mostly i’ll pout and write depressing lyrics in my journal and then run errands for my fathers, and pick up the twins from hockey practice. Sound like a plan? Sounds perfect son, thanks for offering!” Mickey plays out both sides of the conversation and ignores the exasperated sigh Yev lets out at the idea of having to pick up his little brothers.  

“If i’m going to win class president, i’m going to need more help then i’ve been getting from you guys. We need to make at least a dozen more posters tonight, and they need to stand out. I’m talking serious glitter here people.” Starts your 12 year old daughter Rose as she walks down the stairs, arms full of campaign supplies as she runs for 7th grade class president come fall. “Its quite sad when a six year old is being the most useful, I expect more from you guys. Yev, you think your artsy, how hard is it to glue down glitter in a box to frame the picture of me?” 

“I’m sorry if my natural instinct is to cover the hideous beast.” greets the 11 year old Connor as he runs into the kitchen, a ball of energy, and is promptly met with a thwack upside the head and a ‘be nice’ as he runs past you to collect his breakfast. 

“What are you doing today Connor?” Mickey asks as he mentally tries to plan out the pick-up schedule for the day. 

“I have 5th grade graduation practice this afternoon, which they’re only giving me four tickets to by the way, so one of you is going to have to go in and pull a Milkovich.” you laugh at the familial term for getting something done. “Then I was invited to Jack McCarthy’s birthday party tomorrow, but I don’t really feel like going because then I have to buy him a gift and I don’t like Jack enough to spend money on him. Unless Yev and I just happen to go bowling tomorrow, and I just happen to receive a piece of cake from a distracted mother who doesn't know if i am part of the birthday celebration or not.” He muses out loud. 

“Yev, take the evil mastermind, bowling tomorrow. Feed him with sugar and then take him to your band practice to wear it off.” you tell your eldest son. “What time is graduation rehearsal done Con?” 

“ 4:30 so I can walk to the garage and go home with Dad at 6.” You look at Mickey and he nods in confirmation that he would expect the kid at 4:45. 

“Stop it! Let go of me! Brendan, Sam stop!” You hear coming from the stairs and look up in time to see the twins, dressed in army fatigues, carrying your youngest daughter by her hands and feet like a pig going to roast. 

‘Boys, drop your sister!” Mickey calls and immediately Reagan is dropped on her back. She pops up immediately and runs to Mickey, gives him a hug and collects breakfast. 

“Yev, we have baseball tryouts after hockey today so you need to stay for that otherwise we won’t make a team. They like to see family involvement.” Sam tells his brother as he sits at the table. 

“Yeah Yev.” Reagan agrees. 

“Reagan, for the last time you aren’t coming to tryouts with us. 1) You’re a baby, they’re never going to let a six year old on the Single A team, its for 8 and 9 year olds, you belong in Rookies. and 2) You’re a girl. You don’t have the speed, power or skill to play with the big boys.” Brendan told his little sister. 

“Watch me ass-face.” the little girl accepts the challenge in a way that is completely your husband. 

“Reagan, language. Boys, take your sister to try outs. Yev, can you run by the gym during hockey and pick her up from Ian?” Mickey asks. 

“Sure Dad, its not like i had anything else to do today.” Yev replies. 

“Great!” responds Mickey, choosing to ignore the sarcasm. 

The room breaks out into chatter, and you sit back in your chair and watch your family. They’re happy, and healthy and have two parents who love them with everything they have. And you have the man of your dreams sitting across the table from you. Everything in the house is so different from 18 years ago. There is laughter, and color and love. So much love. This family, despite all of their complaining, and teasing would do anything to make sure everyone else is taken care of. And as that thought comes to your head Brendan places three familiar orange bottles in front of you, and Sam a glass of milk. 

“You left these upstairs Daddy, you need to take them.” Sam tells him his hazel eyes worried, because they remember the one time they had run out of pills. 

“With a glass of milk.” Connor adds from across the table. You smile at your boys, and pop open the bottles and take your medicine. You don’t hate the pills anymore, because they let you live this life. With these kids, your amazing kids. And you sit back and watch an ordinary morning in May. 


	2. Stop and Stare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The family tries to go grocery shopping

Notes: Warning for homophobic language and cursing.

 

Many things attract stares. a loud child for instance. An abundance of loud children. Tattoo’s. A man covered in tattoo’s with an abundance of loud children. Two men in a relationship. But two men, covered in tattoos trying to get their six very loud children to behave in a super market will attract every stare in the store. 

Mickey used to feel overwhelmed by the stares, it reminded him of his childhood. Of Terry watching his every move waiting for him to mess up, giving his a reason to punish the young Milkovich. But now he embraces it. This is his life. His family. Its the new normal he jokes when Sam asks why people are looking at them. Its the new normal, and some people aren’t ready for it. 

Ian is a drill sergeant giving the kids orders and telling them what to get. seven dozen eggs for the week, three gallons of milk, a pound and a half of cheese and deli meats, four loaves of bread. And make sure every brand is on sale. Ian keeps telling Mickey that they need a membership at Costco, but Mickey would miss their frugal ransacking of the local grocery store. 

Mickey is looking through the shampoos trying to find the biggest, cheapest bottle when he hears a loud crash followed by the familiar fighting of the twins. He sighs and takes off to fix the issue before the family is removed from the store. 

When he arrives he is greeted by the manager, a plump older woman, with a boy in each hand, chastising Rose as the young girl tries to clean up the display of chips that the seven year olds knocked over. 

“May I help you?” Mickey asks the manager as Rose looks as if she is about to cry. 

“Are these your kids?” The manager asks Mickey looking him up and down, taking in his jump suit, bunched around his waist from work and the tattoos down his arms and on his knuckles. 

“Yes, they are. And i would appreciate it if you would unhand them.” Mickey says trying to stay civil as the boys are released and he can see the beginning of bruises on their arms. 

“I suggest you keep your children with you when traveling through the store, It helps prevent messes like these.” The manager tells Mickey, with a judging look. 

“I suggest you have an employee clean this mess before someone else trips. Or you pay my daughter for her work.” Mickey tells him. 

“Mick stop.” A familiar voice warns as he feels a hand on his arm. He turns to see his husband, their little girl in his arms and the two other boys behind him. Ian places the four year old in Mickey’s arms to calm him down and turns to the woman. 

“I’m very sorry for his attitude, and this mess. What can I do to help?” Ian begins his usual good cop to Mickey’s bad. 

“Are you two together?” The woman asks, eyebrows raised into her hairline.

“Yes…” Ian responds apprehensively, waiting to see where the woman was about to take the confrontation. Ian could be cool and calm in most situations. But he does not stand for bigotry. 

“Well that explains so much.” The woman responds. ‘Your devil children are out of control because they don’t have a mother to train them. That is why people should never give you homosexuals children. No idea of what to do with them.” 

“Guys, lets go.” Yev ushers his younger siblings away from the oncoming argument, grabbing Reagan out of Mickey’s arms. 

“My ‘devil children’ are just fine thank you very much. They ran into a display. Which i’m sure happens all the time.” Ian begins. “And you’re homophobic way of thinking isn't proving anyone right or wrong. We are going to continue raising our kids whether you agree with it or not.”

“And don’t think I missed the bruises you left on those boys arms. We could sue the shit out of you for discrimination, and man-handling a minor.” Mickey added on, not knowing if he could actually do such a thing or not. But it sounded intimidating. 

“Look, you are God’s mistakes and you are raising those innocent kids in the den of the Devil. You are unfit parents with your tattoos and unnatural tendencies, not to mention that you have way too many kids in whatever fudge-packing brothel you live in. I should call the Department of Family Services immediately.” 

“The kids are in the car.” Came Yevgeny’s voice from behind Ian and Mickey. The two men were bright red and ready for a fight and appreciated their eldest son coming back into the store before they did something stupid. Yev made eye contact with Mickey, who was more likely to do something regrettable. “You should go calm them down.” Mickey nods and leaves Ian and Yev to deal with the manager. 

“If you call DFS,” the young boy warned the manager, “i will tell them about everything that happened here today. About your employees following me and my little brother around making sure we didn’t steal anything under your orders because of my Harold Washington High School sweatshirt. About how you physically harmed my brothers for tripping on your display, and how you yelled homophobic slurs across the supermarket at my fathers. You cannot win this war, you are on the wrong side of history my friend. The world is changing and its time you changed too.” Yev pushed Ian towards the exit leaving the carts full of groceries in the aisle. “Its the new normal!” He yelled thrusting both middle fingers into the air back at the manager. 

‘You’re something else kid.” Ian told the high school sophomore, ruffling up his hair in pride as the entire super market watched on. 

“Hey, I learned from the best.” He beamed up at Ian, proud to call the red head his father. The two walked out into the parking lot to see Mickey hugging his kids close, promising them that no one was going to take them away, and that they were not in fact devil children. 

“Well, we’re a little bit of devil children but that comes from being Gallagher’s and Milkovich’s and has nothing to do with the gay thing.” Yev told the group and was giving a tear soaked giggle in return. Connor wrapped his arms around his big brother, and Rose held on to Ian. 

“I guess this means we have to buy a membership at Costco now.” Mickey told Ian over their children’s heads. Ian bursted out laughing. 

“Just think about how much trouble they’re going to get into there.”


	3. Gallaghers vs Goliath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The kids notice that Ian is sad

The kids notice right away when they walk downstairs and Mickey is burning the banana pancakes for the second day in a row. Yesterday it wasn’t a big deal. Ian was sick, or tired, and Mickey had let him sleep in. But Ian didn't come downstairs for dinner either. He didn’t come down at all. Or talk to any of the kids. The absence has taken its toll on the Gallagher clan. The breakfast table is silent except for the sounds of people eating.

“Where’s Daddy?” Rose asks, always one to address the elephant in the room. Mickey and Yev make eye contact, the 17 year old knew about Ian’s disorder, but had never seen him like this before. He always knew it was a possibility, but he never really thought about how it would happen, how it would effect his father, the younger kids, himself. 

“You guys know how Daddy takes those pills every morning?” Mickey asks the table. They all nod. “Those are his magic pills.” 

“Like in Jack and the Beanstalk.” Brendan adds. 

“Kind of. Except that instead of growing a giant, these pills defeat it.” Yev tries to explain. “Daddy has a giant in his head that makes him sick, and the pills help him defeat it.”

“So why is the giant back?” asked Sam. 

“Because Daddy ran out of the pills, and couldn’t get any new ones.” Mickey told the children. “But he will be okay in a couple of days, we just need to keep quiet, and let him sleep. That makes the pills work the fastest.” The children nod. 

“How does the giant make Daddy sick? What is he hurting?” Connor asks Mickey. 

“The giant makes Daddy sad. Very sad. So the pills help cheer him up.” Mickey answers, hoping that his answers are satisfying his children’s questions. The table falls silent again, and the kids quickly pack up and head off to school. 

Mickey goes to check up on Ian one last time before heading to work. He quietly creeps into the room and pets Ian’s hair. 

“The kids miss you. It was silent today. Like actual silence. They know somethings wrong, and they want to help. I’m going to head to work but if you need anything, anything at all just call me and i’ll come home okay?” Mickey asks. Ian just nods as answer. Mickey kisses his forehead and heads to work. 

At the end of the day Mickey is exhausted walking up the stairs to his home. He opens the door to find silence once again. He looks around the first floor and doesn’t find any of the kids. He heads upstairs to look in their rooms but once again comes up empty handed. He knows they’re home because Yev had texted him when they had walked in at 3. He goes to check on Ian, sees if he knows where everyone is. 

“Hey babe, have you seen the kids?” He asks, but is quickly answered by the sight of his husband in their bed surrounded by all six kids and a plethora of cards and home made presents. Mickey smiles to himself and starts to remove the presents and cards from the bed and looks through them. 

Reagan’s card has a big happy sun on it and in sloppy five year old hand writing tells Ian that she misses him and his banana pancakes. Because Daddy Mickey can’t make them good. The message is followed by a page and a half of x’s and o’s and a drawing of whom he suspects is her and Ian playing catch in their White Sox shirts. 

Next he comes across Connor’s card. Its a quote from Harry Potter that Ian painted on Conner’s wall when he was younger, since the two of them would read it together every night.  ‘ _Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.’_ It’s written in neat calligraphy and Mickey can tell that Connor spent a lot of time on it. The thoughtfulness on that boy never ceased to amaze him. 

Brendan’s card was next in his pile. It was a picture entitled ‘Gallaghers vs Goliath’ and showed all of the family fighting against a blue giant with SAD written across the body. It was Brendan’s interpretation of what Mickey and Yevgeny had told him this morning about the magic pills. 

Sam’s card followed and had a list. 10 reasons i want to be like my Daddy. 1) I want to be strong. 2) I want to be loved. 3) I want to be brave. 4) I want to fight bad guys. 5) I want to be smart. 6) I want to beat giants. 7) I want to be in love like both my daddies 8) I want to be happy, even when i can’t be. 9) I want to help other people. 10) I want a big family like this one. 

Mickey’s grin had spread across his entire face at this point as he couldn’t believe the love and happiness that his children felt which was so different from his own childhood. 

Yevgeny had written Ian a song. The musical side was gibberish to Mickey, but the words were clear. The kids felt Ian’s sadness, and they wanted him to get better because they loved him no matter what. And if or when he got sick again they would always be there to cheer him up again. But one line stood out to Mickey. ‘Empty your sadness like you're dumping  a purse on my bedroom floor, we put your curse in reverse.’ To Mickey thats what Ian’s sadness was, it was every stressful feeling, every ill-thought he had ever had pouring out of him. And this family was trying to put him back together again. 

“Don’t” said a small voice before he could start reading Rose’s note. He looked up to see his elder daughter awake on the bed. “I.. it’s nothing bad, it’s just for him. And y’know its personal, and he’s my person. Don’t get me wrong, i love you daddy. But he’s my best friend. and the note is for him.” Rose finishes, looking up at Mickey and expecting disappointment. Mickey just smiled at the young girl. 

“Okay Rosie, I won’t read it.” Mickey agrees. He puts the collection of cards down on the bedside table and climbs into the small space by the edge left by his kids. Because they were all right, Ian was going to be better, and they were going to be there every step of the way. 

 


	4. A Genius and a Milkovich

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ian and Mickey are called in by the principal.

Walking into the house Wednesday night Mickey is greeted by Ian sitting at the table with Brendan and Sam. Ian looks frustrated while the boys are confused. 

“Whats going on?” Mickey asks, dropping his bags and taking a seat next to his husband. 

“I got a call from the Middle School today, we have a meeting with Principal Rodriguez tomorrow morning to discuss these two.” Ian fills him in. Mickey’s head whips towards the two boys. 

“What did you do?” He asks. 

“Nothing!” Brendan cries, trying to get his point across. 

“Look, if you tell us what this is about we won’t be mad. we just want to be informed.” Ian tells the boys. They look at each other, communicating in a way only twins can. 

“Honestly, nothing. We don’t know what this is about.” Sam tells his fathers. And the look of pure confusion on his face assures the grown men that this is as much a mystery to the twins as it is to them. 

The next morning sees Ian and Mickey sitting in the too small seats across from the elderly principal’s desk. Both of the boys’ advisors are in the meeting as well. 

“Mr. Gallagher, Mr. Milkovich i’m glad you could meet us on such short notice. As you know the school year is coming to a close and there are a couple of things we wanted to discuss with you.” The principal begins. 

“Look, whatever they did, we can try to pay for repairs, or talk to the other kid’s parents. They’re good boys, i’m sure they didn't mean any harm.” Ian begins, trying to cover all of his bases like he used to have to do for Carl and Liam. 

“No, no! Its nothing like that!” the principal assures. “Were here today for academic reasons.” She tells the fathers. 

“What do you mean academic reasons? They’re both doing well.” Mickey inquires. 

“Thats just it Mr Milkovich. they are _both_ doing well in school. But we just took the math placement test for seventh grade and came upon some questionable results.” 

“What do you mean questionable results?” Ian pushes.

“Well, we have a couple places we can start. Lets do the good news first. Brendan has qualified for the eighth grade. With his math, science and reading scores, we believe he would excel with a harder curriculum, he would get to be challenged more.” The principal informs.

“You want to move Brendan to the eighth grade?” Mickey clarifies. 

“Yes, Brendan has qualified as a MENSA genius. A score higher than Lip’s.” She says. “We looked it up. He could go on to be an astronaut or a CEO or a teacher.”

“That boy is going to play hockey in the NHL. He’s already decided.” Mickey says. 

“Is that a reasonable goal to let your 12 year old child have?” Rodriguez asks. 

“More reasonable than a kid from the south side, with two parents who are struggling to put food on the table getting to go to the kind of college that lets his become an astronaut.” Ian snaps back, angry at the principal for questioning their parenting. 

“What about Sam? Is he skipping as well?” Mickey tries to get the conversation back on track. 

“Thats the thing. Sam does very well on homework and projects. But during tests, especially this placement test he struggles. Mixes up easy calculations and his spelling is quite poor. We believe that Sam would do best in the Special Education program for the seventh grade.” 

“You want to put him in the rubber room? That boy has a B average. He doesn't belong in Special Ed!” Mickey fights. 

“We think that Brendan may be helping Sam at home and that is why his take-home work and in class evaluations differ so greatly.” One of the teachers pipes in. 

“Are you accusing out boys of cheating?” Ian asks, quite offended at this point. He and Mickey had raised their kids better than that.

“While Brendan has characteristics we saw in Lip.” The principal tells the fathers and Mickey groans at the comparison of his kid and his douche bag brother-in-law. “We think Sam has more of a… um… Milkovich work ethic.” 

Mickey sits forward at that. 

“Are you saying that my kid doesn't work hard because he’s my kid. Or is my kid confused in class and has to have his brother help him in order to understand?” Mickey turns around. 

“Mr. Milkovich we are not trying to offend anyone here.” The teacher tries to retrace steps and Ian laughs dryly. 

“Right, saying our son is special ed because he is our son is trying not to offend anyone.” Ian continues to chuckle. 

“Our son is not special ed. He will go into the regular 7th grade classes, with the regular 7th graders and he will do just as well as he is doing now. We will go home and discuss with Brendan if he wants to move up to the eighth grade or not. And i suggest  that from now on, you don’t call someone’s kid mentally challenged when their not, and then say its because they were raised by their father.” Mickey tells the principal, fuming with anger and hatred. He stood up and marched out the door, he could sense Ian right on his tail. 

The rest of the day was silent as the two parents stewed in their anger about the principal. Finally as the clock struck 3 and Ian realized that the kids were going to be home any minute he looked up at Mickey. 

“What are we going to do?” Ian asks his husband. 

“Just what we said we were going to do. Sam is going to the seventh grade and we’ll talk to Brendan about separating from his brother.” Mickey tells him. 

“But what if something is wrong with Sam?” Ian asks. “I’m not saying the principal is right and its because we raised him. But what if something is wrong in his brain. He could have ADD, ADHD, Dyslexia. That would account for the inability to test well.” 

“Where are we going to get testing done Ian? We can barely keep the heat on during the winter, along with hockey fees, baseball fees, college applications for Rose. We’re drowning.” Mickey answers. 

“ I know, but we can’t let Sam suffer if there really is something wrong.” Ian tells Mickey. 

“But what if there isn’t. And the other kids suffer for something that wasn’t even there.” Mickey points out. 

“I could pick up a couple of more shifts at the gym. Bar tend some. You could do some independent work. We can raise the money. I’m not saying this has to be done today. I’m just saying its something we should think about for the future.” Ian argues. Mickey nods in agreement and tries to comfort Ian with a hand around the back of his neck. 

The silence is soon interrupted as 5 kids come barreling through the door. Brendan and Sam stop in front of the fathers. Worried looks on their faces. Mickey nods to indicate that they should sit down. 

“So whats going on?” Sam asks.

“Brendan has qualified for the eighth grade.” Mickey tells the boys. 

“They’re splitting us up?” Brendan asks. 

“No, we are letting you boys decide.” Ian tells them. “Its not fair of the school or us to make that decision for you. Its your choice B.”

“Do it.” says Sam. “You’re bored in school all of the time, this might be interesting. And you’ll get to be with all of the older girls. And, and, you’ll be one year closer to getting to play on the varsity hockey team.” 

“Yeah, but i’ll be in a different grade, and then a different school from you.” Brendan looks at his brother worriedly. 

“So? I see enough of your ugly mug here and in our room and at hockey. I need some space from you.” Sam jokes trying to tell his brother to do whats best for him. 

“So I guess i’m an eighth grader.” Brendan tells his dads. 

“I guess you are.” Mickey replies and the two boys jump from the table and head to their room to play before dinner. 

“Who cares what that principal thinks.” says Ian “we did a damn good job.”

 


	5. Just Do It

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reagan was always Mickey's little girl.

Mickey always knew that the kids favored Ian. Ian was the care giver, while he, Mickey, was the enforcer. When it came to the boys, it didn't really matter. They would seek comfort or reassurance in whatever parent they could find when young. But Rose always gravitated towards Ian. She was Daddy’s little girl. Mickey told himself that he didn’t mind. That Ian could be wrapped around Rose’s finger because he had five other kids to look after. 

After they brought Reagan home from the hospital, Mickey knew that she would be the same way. Reagan would always cry until Ian picked her up, or would only fall asleep after Ian had read her a story. 

So on Christmas morning, as the whole family finishes opening presents and Reagan stands and starts to waddle for the first time, Mickey isn't surprised when She starts to make her way over to Ian. His husband reaches his arms out to greet the 11 month old. But Reagan doesn't stop. She rushes the thee extra feet into Mickey’s arms. 

“Dada!” She yells triumphantly. 

“Did she just talk?” asks Brendan from across the room where he and Sam are setting up their hot wheels. 

“And walked.” says Ian shocked. 

“Looks like we’ve got a Daddy’s girl. Don’t we Ray.” says Mickey to his little daughter who giggles into his arms and shouts once more. 

“Dada!”

Their bond continued as Reagan got older. She would always look towards Mickey for reassurance, or for help when her brothers were bullying her. Mickey was her go to. 

“Daddy, I want to play baseball.” she says as Mickey is tucking her in one night. 

“You play with your brothers all the time sweetie.” He tells her. 

“I wanna play on a real team. With the other kids. Brendan and Sam aren’t good enough.” she informs him matter of fact. 

“I’ll sign you up for try-outs.” Because it was true. Although Brendan and Sam played little league, and were older. Reagan was better. She was naturally talented and worked hard. 

Ian always thought Reagan would grow out of baseball. She would decided to do dance like Rose, or play softball with the girls. But Reagan was the best on the field, despite being younger than her team mates. And she wanted the challenge of playing with the boys. She liked when people doubted her. She liked proving them wrong. 

“I’m going to the World Series this year.” Reagan informs Mickey as she gets in the car after the first day of practice. She just made the 13 year old team as an 11 year old. This is the team that goes into the World Series pool. 

“I bet.” Mickey agrees. Because when Reagan goes after something, she doesn’t give up until she wins. 

Sitting in the stands in Williamsport Pennsylvania in 98 degree weather is making the kids miserable for the third year in a row, but Mickey couldn’t be more proud. Reagan has done well here the past few years, and although the team never wins, Reagan always puts on a show. As the only girl she always attracts a lot of attention, but her skills and her leadership make her a presence. 

“Are you Mr. Gallagher? Reagan’s father?” An older man asks him. 

“I’m Mr. Milkovich, Reagan’s father. Who is asking?” He replies. 

“ I’m Tim Corbin, i’m the baseball coach at Vanderbilt, and when your daughter reaches high school, I think she should give us a call.” the man replies, handing Mickey a business card. 

“Will do.” Mickey replies with a smile. He adds it to the collection from this week as the coach walks away. 

“Who was it this time?” Ian asks. 

“Vanderbilt.” Mickey tells him. 

“This is insane. Thats 15 coaches already and it’s only game three.” Connor points out. 

“Your sister is good.” Mickey replies. As Reagan walks up to bat. Mickey smiles to himself and thinks about all the work that Reagan has put in, all of the hours in the back yard hitting balls against the chain link fence. All of the ground balls taken off the back of the house. The early morning runs with Ian, and the lifting program she asked Ian to build for her for her twelfth birthday. His little girl was growing up and now opportunity was knocking on her door. Mickey though back to the conversation they had in the car on the way here. 

“Reagan, what are you going to do with baseball?” Ian had asked. 

“I want to play D-1 and then go the show.” she says just as sure of herself as ever. 

“ Come on Reagan, you have to know thats a long shot.” Ian tells her. Mickey shoots him a glare and sees that Reagan is giving her father the same look. 

“You never said that about Brendan and hockey.” She replies. 

“Well, Brendan has the advantage of a y chromosome.” Connor argues on Ian’s behalf. 

“Think what you want to think, but its going to happen.” Reagan says in the “just watch and see” way that Reagan always does. 

Mickey pays attention at the sound of the pop of the ball off the bat. Reagan legs out a standing triple and the whole family is on their feet cheering. Regan turns to where her family is and stares Ian dead in the eye as if to say ‘see i’m better than they are.’ Ian rolls his eyes and laughs. 

“If any girl can do it.” Ian tells his husband. “it’s her.” Mickey laughs knowing its true. 

The game soon ends and Mid-West is moving on to the semi-finals next weekend. As the Gallagher clan walks down to the dug outs to greet their youngest member they see her talking to an elderly gentleman in a matching red hat and polo shirt. Reagan’s smile is ear to ear as she nods along to what the man is saying. He gives her a card and a handshake and Reagan rushes over to her family and wraps her arms around Mickey. 

“I’m gonna do it!” she says laughing. 

“Do what?” Mickey asks. Reagan pulls away and addresses the entire family. 

“That was Scott Servais, head scout for the Los Angeles Angels, and he wants me to come play for them. Apparently they have their eye on some kid from New Jersey right now, but they want me to consider taking over at shortstop in seven years when Eric Aybar’s contract is up. They have a travel ball coach in Illinois they want me to play for through high school and they want me to learn how to slap, which is a softball thing but apparently i’m fast enough for it. And ME! They want me! I have the most potential out of all of the high school and college players they’ve seen!” 

“Thats great honey!” Ian says bringing her in for a hug as well.

“Thanks dad.” She says to Mickey. “For believing in me.” 

“Hey kid, theres a lot more work to be done.” He informs her. Because from this point on the road is going to be a lot tougher. 

“Then lets do it.” she says. and it is completely Milkovich.


	6. Young and In Lust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ian and Mickey make an interesting discovery

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i have like 40 chapters in a spreadsheet but idk where to start so if anyone has a kid or an event they want to see more of please let me know and i will write those first.

“What the fuck Mickey?” Greets the man as he walks through the front door. 

“Huh?” his eloquent reply. 

“The Cable bill came in. You watched 12 porno’s this month? Seriously. I know I’ve been tired at night but really? twelve?” his husband asks approaching him from where he was huddled over the bills. 

“I did not watch 12 pornos. maybe 2. Definitely not 12.” Mickey replies. 

“Then who else is watching gay porn in the middle of the night?” Ian asks. 

“I don’t know. The porn fairies?” Mickey’s laughing reply. 

“Har Har. Seriously Mickey.” Ian deadpans. 

“We have 6 kids in this house. Maybe it could be one of them.” Mickey suggests. 

“C’mon Mick. I’m pretty sure we could tell if one of our kids was gay.” 

“Yeah babe. Cause it was _so_ obvious with the two of us, and we _are_ the two most flamboyant role models.” Mickey retorts. 

“What you think one of the twins is down here jacking off almost three times a week?” Ian asks. 

“Nah, too young. Yev?” asks Mickey. 

“Nah, not slutty enough.” Ian replies. “Connor?”

“Connor.” just like that it clicks for the two fathers. Connor has never drooled over the female movie stars like Yev did at Connor’s age, or shown off for the neighborhood girls like the twins do even before hitting puberty. 

“Do we confront him about this?” Mickey asks shaking the outrageous cable bill. 

“No, we can’t. We have to give him time. Just like we needed.” Ian tells him. “But, in the mean time i think we need to reprimand all of the kids for this.” 

The next morning at breakfast the kids are eating and yelling to each other when Ian clears his throat. The children stop immediately. They can tell when a storm is fast approaching. 

“So your father and I were looking over the bills last night and came across something quite questionable. And we’re not mad, and we’re not asking who did it. We just want it to stop. Whoever has been ordering porn…. please use a computer and a free site like every other normal kid in America. Pornos on TV cost too much money. you have cell phones for a reason.” reprimands Ian. 

 “Or steal a laptop from the library down the street.” adds Mickey. 

“Or that.” says Ian. The kids all stare and start to nod. Even Reagan who at the age of seven doesn’t know what porn even is. Breakfast is a quiet affair after that, the kids all trying to read each other to piece together who has been watching porn. After everyone is fed and out the door and on their way to school Mickey turns to Ian.

“How long?” He asks. 

“Doesn’t matter. We’ll be there for him when its time.” 

Its four years later when Connor starts bringing home Jack McCarthy. The two were never friends until recently, but have quickly become inseparable. They are always huddled together thinking they’re being subtle whispering things like ‘no, not here.’ and ‘you have to be quieter.’ throughout the house. 

Its a snowy January morning, and school has been cancelled for the day, but that hasn’t stopped Jack from making his way to the Gallagher/Milkovich home. The two quickly disappear to Connor’s room, (he is the only one with his own room since Yev moved out). 

“Dads! Dads!” Calls a fifteen year old Sam twenty minutes later, flying down the stairs as Connor shouts after him. 

“What the fuck Sam? You’re supposed to knock! Do you have no respect?” Connor jumps, tackling Sam to the ground and starts to pound on his little brother. The two adults are quickly out of their seats on the couch and separating the boys. 

“Boys! Calm down! What is going on?” Asks Ian. 

“Don’t you fucking dare!” Connor growls at Sam. 

“Nothing.” The younger boy quickly agrees. 

“Connor come on. Its nothing. Lets go back to your room.” Calls Jack as he descends the stairway. Thats when Mickey notices and starts coughing. Connor turns to his father with big eyes. 

“Sorry, something stuck in my throat.” Mickey says, knowing Connor isn’t ready yet. Connor quickly shrugs out of Ian’s hold on him and heads up the stairway with Jack in tow. 

“What was that about?” Ian asks the two in front of him. 

“Nothing!” Sam rushes and runs to find Brendan. 

“They were wearing each others shirts. Inside out.” Mickey says. 

“Connor!” Mickey yells up the stairs. 

‘Yeah Dad?” comes back Connor’s voice, muffled through the closed door. 

“Keep your door open so you can hear us when lunch is ready!” Mickey says not wanting Connor to know that he and Ian know his secret. 

They hear a groan that is not their son’s and chuckle to each other, knowing all too well what it feels like to be young and in lust. 

That night after Jack goes home, Connor walks into Mickey and Ian’s bedroom looking solemnly at the floor. 

“Whats up buddy?” asks Ian earning an eye roll from the teenager. 

“I’m gay.” Connor blurts out. 

“We know.” says Mickey. “Have for a while.” 

“Really?” Connor asks, thinking that he had hid his secret well. 

“Yeah. Since you were thirteen or so.” says Ian. 

“When you bought all the porn.” clarifies Mickey. 

“Right. That. Not my finest moment.” laughs Connor. 

“We were just wondering why you didn’t tell us. Its not like we would have kicked you out, or loved you any less. Your sin is our sin.” wonders Ian. 

“I guess, because I wanted to figure it out on my own. I didn’t want your stories and ideas about being gay around here influence me or the way that I lived my life. I love you guys, and you have given me so much strength and hope in the ability to be who I am, and love who I want to love. But this was something i needed to do alone.” Connor looks up to see his fathers nodding in understanding. 

“I bet you’ve figure out that the rules have changed.” Mickey says. 

“Yeah dad. I’m not dumb. Door stays open when Jack is here. He needs to meet you as my boyfriend. blah blah blah. I know the deal from Rose and Yev. You are such pains in the ass.” 

“Language!” Calls Ian as Connor leaves the room. “And we love you!” 

“Yeah, yeah. Love you too.” They hear as Connor walks upstairs to his room.


	7. She Gets it From Her Father

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rose has been unusally quiet latley.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have about 40 chapters laid out and no idea of where to start so if anyone wants to see a specific event, or more of one of the kids please just lmk.

Rose had always been an open book in her fathers’ eyes. She was vocal about her feelings and opinions, and always had something to teach the family. So it was a red flag when, asked about how her AP Art Portfolio was going, she was oddly quiet. Mickey tossed it up to Rose being frustrated with her projects, and in a block. But Ian knew that silence. That was a silence that hid a secret. 

“Something is up with Rose.” Ian whispered to Mickey as they washed the dishes after dinner. 

“I don’t know. I think she is just stressed out.” Mickey responds. 

“Mick, theres a boy.” Ian informs his husband. 

“Noooooo.” Mickey rebuttals, refusing to believe that his little girl was in a relationship. “Absolutely not. What is she 13? Too young, way too young.” 

“Mickey, she’s eighteen. We were ghetto married with Yev when I was eighteen. Theres a boy.” Ian says. 

“He’s not a boy, he’s a man.” sighs Reagan mocking her sister as she floats through the kitchen on her way out the door. 

“Hold up little one. What do you know?” Ian questions his youngest pulling her by the back of her shirt into the conversation.  

“Honestly?” Reagan asks. Her fathers nod. “Thats all. She always changes the topic when I walk into our room. Its really annoying. I thought older sisters were supposed to share secrets and stuff. Rose is lame.” and she’s out the door.  

“A man? A MAN? IF SHE’S DATING AN OLDER MAN ITS YOUR FAULT IAN CLAYTON GALLAGHER! THAT TRAIT IS ALL YOU!” Mickey yells at his husband. 

“would you shut up?” Ian hisses. “she’ll hear you.” 

“Ian, this isn’t funny. Rose is getting out of the South Side. She doesn’t need a piece of shit filling her mind with love and pulling her back in like I did with you.” Mickey whisper yells back. 

“Oh Mick,” Ian wraps his arms around his husband of 21 years. “You didn’t make me stay, I was stuck here anyway. I’m as much of piece of South Side shit as you are.” 

“Yeah yeah we both suck. But our daughter doesn’t.” Mickey says pulling back from the hug and looking up at Ian. 

“Look, we need to talk to her. I know that. But we can’t attack her.” Ian says. 

“Like hell we can’t. This isn’t Connor’s thing. This is Rose and an older guy who could possibly fuck up her entire life. I get to yell on this one.” Mickey says and starts to march up the stairs to the girls’ room. Mickey knocks on the door and is promptly told to come in. 

“Who is he?” Mickey asks Rose point blank. The red headed girl gives a quick look of confusion before exhaling a sigh of defeat. There is no point in pretending. Her dads know. 

“His name is Stanley Webber. He’s 28 and we’ve been officially dating since my eighteenth birthday. Before that we were _just_ friends.” She tells her dads. Mickey and Ian exchange a look. 

“Look Rosie, we just want to know what is going on with you lately. Its not like you to hide something like this from us. You’ve never had a boyfriend before, so we don’t know where to go from here. We trust you, but we don’t trust Stanley. We want to meet him.” says Ian sitting down on Rose’s bed. 

“Why does the name Stanley Webber sound so familiar?” Mickey asks the room. Rose’s eyes grow as wide as saucers. 

“I don’t know. Why would it?” Rose says trying to deter her father from putting two and two together. 

“ROSEMARIE FIONA GALLAGHER! YOU ARE _NOT_ DATING YOUR ART TEACHER!” Mickey starts to yell. Quickly four sets of feet come barging into the room. Followed by choruses of “Rose is doing what?” and “Damn!” from her brothers. 

“Boys, out of the house now! Go find Reagan.” Ian tells the boys knowing that things are about to get really ugly, really fast. He could feel the anger radiating off of both Mickey and himself. 

“What the fuck Rose? Are you trying to fuck up your entire life? This has got to be shitting me with this?” Ian says jumping to his feet to pace around the room. 

“I love him!” Rose protests. 

“Do you love prison visiting hours too? Because that is where this Stanley guy is headed!” Mickey informs her. 

“No Daddy! Stop!” Rose says hanging on to Mickey’s arm. Mickey shoots her a look that could kill and she quickly sits back down on her bed. 

“You are being irresponsible, ignorant, and just plain stupid. This will never work! You have better things to do than get sucked in with the likes of an art teacher in the poorest part of Chicago. You are going to college young lady, and are becoming what ever it is you want to be. But I will not sit back and watch as you give your life to this man.” Ian says, still pacing the room. 

“An English teacher, in the poorest part of Chicago.” Rose whispers. Both of her fathers look at her. “Thats what I want to do. Its why Stanley and I started talking in the first place. I asked him why, if he was so talented, did he come back and decide to teach, when everyone works so hard to get out. Do you know what he said?” Rose asks. Mickey and Ian shake their heads. 

“He said it was to inspire people. To give kids hope and a means to get out of this shit town. If a kid loves art, he can get in to an art school, most of which give a lot of financial aid, and get out of this neighborhood. And I realized that, that is what I want to do. I want to go get educated the best I can, and use that education to help kids like myself, and the boys and Reagan and even you guys when you were young, who are bright and have all of the potential in the world, and give them the tools to help themselves.” 

“Thats all very sweet honey, but do you have to date your Art teacher to help people?” asks Mickey. 

“I love him. And I’m going to continue to love him. I applied to all local colleges. University of Chicago, and Northwestern. And even if you make us break up until June, as soon as I graduate I’m going to get back together with him. He’s it for me. I know it.” Rose tells her fathers. 

“Thats whats going to happen.” Mickey says. “You are done dating him until after you graduate. And then he is coming over for your graduation lunch to meet the family, and i mean the entire family. Even cousin Chuckie with the swatstika on his forehead.” 

Rose nods understanding her father. 

“Okay, I’ll tell him its over until June. And that he has to come and be introduced to the craziness that is the Gallagher/Milkovich family.” Rose agrees. 

“Good. We love you. You know that right? We love you with everything in our hearts and only want whats best for you. And this yelling and forcing you apart, that is to protect you, and your future.” Ian says stroking Rose’s hair. 

“I understand that. I really do. And I love you guys too.” Rose says. Mickey and Ian go to leave the room. But before the door closes behind them Ian pops his head back in. 

“Oh, and throw your sister a bone and tell her secrets, make stuff up if you have to. She feels left out.” Ian suggests. Rose laughs and says OK, and quickly tells Stanley about the pause on their relationship. She can’t let her fathers down anymore. 

 

 


	8. All By Himself

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first in the adoption set. The rest are either already written or soon to come. Its going to take up the next 4 chapters, but i think they are important stories moving forward.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have around 40 chapters planned out, so if anyone wants to see any of the kids or an event or detail or has a prompt please let me know and i will do those first.

Yevgeny is not one for subtlety. Even at the age of four, he knows that his fathers aren’t good at picking up hints. So instead he walks around the house looking for his fathers, sits down in front of them and sighs. 

“Whats up Buddy?” They always ask. 

“I’m bored.” His answer. 

“What do you want to do?” They try to fix the problem. 

“I want to play with somebody.” Yev tells them. 

“We’ll play with you bud.” They suggest. Yev sighs and takes what he can get. But the boy is lonely. He wants to play with somebody new. 

Its a quiet Wednesday night. The house is silent except for the sounds of utensils on plates. Yev sighs loudly. 

“Whats wrong Yev?” Asks Ian. 

“I want a brother.” Yev tells them. “I’ve wanted a brother for months now. Everyone else in my class has a sibling and I’m bored! I want one!” 

“Yev, we’re really sorry. But we can’t give you one.” Ian tells him. 

“Why not?” Yev asks belligerently. 

“Because you need a mommy and a daddy to make a baby. And you have two daddies.” Ian explains. 

“Can we borrow someone else’s mommy? I want one.” Yev says. 

“Well….” Mickey says looking at Ian. Ian’s eyebrows raise to his hairline. Ian had always wanted another kid. He loves Yev, but he also sees the pain that was involved in his creation. Ian has always wanted another kid that was his and Mickey’s, wether it be through surrogation or adoption. “Daddy and I will discuss it and get back to you.” Mickey tells his son. That seems to settle Yev for the time being. 

Later that night after Yev has been put to bed, Ian takes a seat on the couch next to Mickey and pulls the smaller man into his chest. 

“Were you serious earlier? About another kid?” Ian asks. 

“Well, yeah. I’ve been thinking about it for a while. We’re married now. And I want a family. A good one. And there are tons of babies in the system and horrible situations like we were, and we could help them. Give them a better chance than we were given.” Mickey tells him. 

“So we’re gonna go adopt a baby? Well, we’re gonna try.” Ian asks. 

“Yeah babe. We are.” Mickey says, watching Ian’s grin spread as wide as he had ever seen. 

It took almost a year and half before Mickey and Ian were approved and invited to the orphanage to pick up a baby. Their adoption agent Valerie took the men and Yevgeny into the orphanage burrowed in the South Side and into the nursery. 

“These are the babies that were abandoned at the hospital, or given up for adoption without a pre-planned family. That one over there,” she points to a small asian baby in the corner of the room, “was left outside of a church Quasimodo style last week.” She tells the family. 

“Are you sure we can do this?” asks Ian. “It feels like we’re picking out a puppy, rather than a baby.” 

“Absolutely. I know it seems unorthodox, but we found that if the parents feel a connection with a certain baby, the family unit becomes stronger rather than an assigned family, especially if a sibling is involved.” informs Valerie. “I’ll give you boys some time.” she remarks and leaves the family in the room of infants. 

“Be careful Yev, if you want a closer look at anyone tell Daddy or I and we’ll lift you up.” Mickey warns his son. And the family starts to walk around the room. Mickey and Ian are taking their time, they don’t know what it is they are looking for. They never talked about wanting a son or daughter, or a specific look. They just wanted another child to love and care for, and maybe corrupt a little. 

The two are looking over at a smaller blonde baby when they hear two giggles from across the room. Yev is looking over a cradle and making faces at the baby inside. 

“Dads, I like this one. It thinks I’m funny!” Yev calls to Ian and Mickey. The two walk over to see the baby. 

Inside the cradle is a small bundle of ginger hair and pink skin. The pink sign on the cradle mark her as Monica. Mickey and Ian both make a face at the name, knowing their going to have to change it. 

“You know she’s a girl right. You talked about wanting a brother.” Mickey tells Yev. 

“Yeah, I know, but I can have a brother later on. I like her. I could protect her, and teach her how to play the piano. And she like to laugh which I like. Please dads! Please! Please!” Mickey begs. 

Monica looks up at the two men with bright green eyes, and in that instant Ian falls in love with the little girl. 

“Yeah, please Mick.” Ian says. 

“I’ll go tell Valerie. But we need to do something about that name.” Mickey tells Yev and Ian. 

Valerie walks back into the room and picks the baby girl up out of the cradle and hands her to Ian, who wraps her close to his body and rocks his new daughter, completely and totally in love. He now understands what Valerie meant earlier about feeling a connection to their daughter. 

“She’s a love bug isn’t she?” Valerie asks and Yev and Ian both nod vigorously, enraptured with the new addition. 

“We want to change her name. Is that okay?” Mickey asks. 

“Of course. They just aren’t allowed to leave the hospital un-named and Monica was the the nurse who took care of her after she was left.” Valerie informs the family. 

“What about Pinkie?” offers Yev. “Because her hair and skin are both pink.” 

“Thats cute Yev, but its not really a name.” Ian tells his son. 

“What about Strawberry? or Flower? Those things are pink.” Yev says. 

“What about a specific flower?” offers Mickey. “Lots of flowers are pink.” 

“Is a Daisy pink?” Yev asks naming any flower he could think of. Ian shakes his head. 

“What about a Rose?” the boy offers. Ian’s smile somehow gets even bigger. 

“Rose sounds perfect. What about Rosemarie? It makes it easier to give her a middle name.” Ian says. 

“Rosemarie Fiona Gallagher.” Mickey confirms, writing it down on the adoption form. 

“Really?” Ian says. “Fiona?” 

“Who else?” offers Mickey. And the small family prepares to go home and learn how to live life with Rose.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have around 40 chapters planned out, so if anyone wants to see any of the kids or an event or detail or has a prompt please let me know and i will do those first.


	9. A Story on His Skin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mickey wanted to remind Ian why he needed to keep fighting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Totally forgot what i was doing with this story for a while, but i figured it out and I think it turned out okay, if a little rushed. I have tons more chapters but very little motivation so if someone gives me a prompt or a kids to write about I would be more inclined to do so. Thanks!

 

Mickey thought that the pain was worth it. That at moments when Ian couldn’t think of a reason to live, he could simply look at Mickey and see all of the things that he has accomplished, an infinite number of reasons to keep going. That was why, the minute after the marriage license was signed, Mickey dragged Ian into the tattoo parlor and had the younger man watch as he got a single band on his left ring finger, with only an IG in negative space. That no matter what, they were together, forever on Mickey’s skin. Ian started to cry. He wanted to get one as well, but Mickey insisted that this was his wedding gift to Ian, that he would go through the pain now, so Ian didn’t have to later. 

_____________

 

When Svetlana took thirty minutes to say goodbye to Yevgeny that morning, Mickey knew that she was never coming back to get her son after work. He wanted to hate the woman for abandoning her son, but Mickey was thankful that at least he was here with his fathers. And having Yev around would make Ian happy. The two year old giggled, not realizing how his life had just changed forever. 

A few months later Mickey was late coming home from the garage, which wasn’t normally worrying to Ian. But the radio silence was freaking him out. When Mickey finally walked through the door, he was greeted by a yelling Ian and a screaming Yev. 

“Would you just relax? I was adding to the story.” Mickey told his husband. 

“What do you mean ‘adding to the story?’” asked the red head. Mickey promptly rolled up his sleeve and pulled down the bandage that Ian had missed earlier. In black simple script were simply the worlds ‘Well Born’. 

“What does that mean?” Asked Ian. 

“I needed to add Yev to the list of things that you have to be proud of, to keep going for. Yevgeny means well born.” Ian wrapped his arms around Mickey and kissed the shorter man’s forehead. 

“I love you. Did you know that?” Ian asked. 

“I hoped so.” Mickey replied and they both laughed. 

____________

 

Rose had only been home for a few days when Ian came into the bed room with a bundle of papers and laid them out in font of Mickey on the bed. Mickey raised an eyebrow in response. 

“For your Rose tattoo.” Ian sighed exasperated. “I like the one with the bow, but its up to you.” Ian said pulling one of the pictures to the front. 

“I was thinking of something with a lot of thorns, because she has so many people who would hurt somebody to protect her. But if you want the bow, I’ll get the bow. These are your tattoos, they’re just on me.” said Mickey. 

“No, no, no, the thorns. I like that idea so much better. And it would probably look more appropriate on you than a bow.” Ian said kissing his husband. When Mickey came home from the last session, Ian had to admit the thorns were pretty damn sexy. 

 

____________

 

 

“How do you draw wise?” asked Mickey as Ian walked through the door a baby in each arm. Ian put Rose down in the play pen and carried Connor over to the kitchen table to join his daddy. Mickey sat amongst a pile of crumpled pieces of paper. He had been slaving over this tattoo for weeks looking at different types of brains, and other languages or light bulbs but nothing seemed right. 

“Mick, if you step away from this for a little bit, it might help some.” Ian tried to help. But the look Mickey shot him told him to put up or shut up, Mickey was getting this done. Thats the way Mickey was though. He needed everything to be done efficiently and perfectly. Ian laughed at his husband’s ridiculousness and took Connor over to watch TV with Rose.

Later that night as Ian was putting Connor to bed, he couldn’t stop thinking of his grumpy husband downstairs still pouring over sketches. He sat down in the rocking chair, Connor in one hand, wrapped tightly to his body, an ancient copy of Winnie the Pooh in the other. Winnie the Pooh was Connor’s favorite. He always smiled his toothless grin whenever someone read it to him, and squealed when it was over. Ian read to his baby until Connor was fast asleep. As he went to get up to put Connor in his crib he read the line “ _it’s Owl who knows something about something,' he said, 'or my name's not Winnie the Pooh”_

“I GOT IT!” cried Ian, stumbling down the stairs to talk to Mickey. “The owl! From Winnie the Pooh. Its perfect. An owl is wise, and Connor loves those books, well any books really. Get the illustrated version of Owl!” 

Mickey jumped up and hugged Ian, and gave him a sloppy kiss on the cheek. Three days later the entire tree house and Owl took up the top of Mickey’s left arm. 

 

____________

 

As their new twins sat in the NICU, Ian paced and Mickey ate at pens writing lists of names down and scratching them out. Yev, Connor and Rose were standing on the siblings ladder in front of the window looking at their brothers muttering to each other in the way small children do. Just as Mickey was crossing off Ian’s suggestion of Phillip for the 3rd time, Mickey heard it come out of Yev as a whisper. 

“What was that Yev?” Mickey asked. Yev turned around so sharply, the eight year old almost fell off his perch. 

“Um.. I said that Brendan was small compared to Sam. But both of them are tiny compared to the rest of the babies.” Yev told his dad, looking at the ground, ashamed that he had already given his brother’s names without asking his dads first. 

“Thats because they came really early, so they’re not as developed at the other babies. But they’re going to be okay. The doctors are going to make sure of that. Brendan is smaller than Sam because Sam was sitting on Brendan. So Sam was getting more of the nutrients.” Mickey told Yevgeny. 

“You like those names?” asked Connor. 

“Yeah bud, I do. They’re perfect.” Mickey told the two year old. Rose had left the window and was climbing up onto Ian’s lap where he had sat down across the room. She picked up the book of names and meanings from the chair beside them and handed it to her father. Ian started searching through the book for the meaning. 

“Brendan - a prince.” Ian informed the family. Yev looked out into the room of babies. 

“A little prince.” He said, scowling at the bigger babies that made him worry about his little brother. 

“Like the book!” squealed Connor excitedly. 

“Exactly like the book.” agreed Mickey, hoisting Connor up into his arms. 

“Will that be your tattoo?” asked Yev. Earning a raised eyebrow from Mickey. “Well, you have tattoos for the three of us, why not them?” 

“I mean yeah, I just didn’t know that you knew what they were.” replied Mickey, not thinking his tattoos were obviously symbols of his children. 

“I’m eight dad, not stupid.” replies Yevgeny which the two little ones giggle at. 

“Alright, alright. Stop making fun of dad. What about Sam?” Ian brought his children back to the project at hand. 

“What does Samuel mean?” asked Rosie. Yev picked the book up off the table where Ian had put it earlier. 

“Name of God.” said Yev.  

“I like that, because they’re miracles.” added Ian. 

“But what abut a tattoo?” Asked Yev. “A cross? Or is that too Christian? Are we Christian?” 

“Technically I guess we are. Just not practicing ones.” Answers Mickey. “And What about a star. Stars are usually signs of God.”

“I like that. A star of David! Thats in most of the religions.” Replies Yev.

“Whats a star of David?” Asks Rose and Ian quickly turns to the back of the baby name book and draws the star for the two younger children. 

“I like that. Can you link it to the little prince? That way Sam and Brendan are always together. Just like in real life.” Asks Rose. 

“Absolutely.” Mickey tells her as he sweeps her into his arms and walks over to the window to check on his new born sons. 

___________________

“We want our baby. How can she take her back. She was in our arms and the nurse said that she wasn’t our daughter!” Yelled Mickey at the woman from the adoption agency. 

“Loretta hadn’t signed any of the paperwork yet. She decided that she was uncomfortable with never seeing her daughter again and wanted to raise her. This happens more frequently that you would imagine.” Answers Carol. 

“Well, whats our next step?” asked Ian, keeping a firm hand on his husbands arm to calm him down. 

“Well first, we wait until its business hours. I understand your hostility, but there is little to be done at 2 o’clock in the morning. This has been a hard day for your kids, I would take them home and let them sleep.” Answers Carol referring to the five kids waiting where they have been all night through the birth of their “sister” and now through Mickey’s war path to get her back.

Mickey and Ian nod, shake Carol’s hand and proceed to the waiting room to collect their children. They hear giggling from the waiting room and then a baby’s gargle. Considering their youngest children are four, they are quickly concerned about the sound. 

“Where did you guys get a baby?” Asked Ian. All five kids shot around to look at their fathers, looks of guilt on their faces. 

“We adopted her.” Said Sam. 

“Excuse me?” asked Mickey. 

“A teenager came in here crying, said she didn't want the baby, asked if we wanted her, we said yes, and then she left.” Said Yev. 

Carol walked into the waiting room behind them on her way to her car. She stopped when she noticed the baby with the family. 

“Did Loretta decided to give you the baby?” She asked. 

“No, this is Reagan, and Daisy gave her to us.” Rose told the social worker.

“Reagan?” Asked Ian. 

“Thats what Daisy told us to call her. Reagan Amanda (after Aunt Mandy) Gallagher. She came with this Elephant too.” Said Connor holding up the stuffed circus Elephant. 

“Well it looks like you found a bit of good luck. A baby sister at the end of the day after all. Lets get those contracts signed, I’ll take Reagan for the night and we will go through all of the proper channels in the morning.” Carol agrees wanting to give the young family what they were promised. 

After a long night of baby cries and little sleep Carol was happy to see Ian and Mickey in the morning, although she was concerned with the bandage wrapped around Mickey’s lower arm. 

“What is that?” She asked the young father. 

“Its the newest addition to our story.” He says unwrapping the bandage around his arm to show the elephant, sitting on a ball, nose in the air.

“An Elephant with its trunk up is good luck, and thats exactly what Reagan is, our sign of good luck.” Explains Ian. Carol smiles widely happy for the family and produces all of the adoption papers so they can take their little girl home. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think and if you want anything else.


	10. Thanks-GIVING starring Emmanuel and Curtis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A typical thanksgiving in the Galla-vich house hold.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: This chapter has a lot of cursing and mentions of sex.

It was the first time they had all been together in the house in years. Yev wasn’t on tour with his band so he and his wife Priya were staying for the holiday season in his old bedroom. Rose and her long-time boyfriend Jordan had decided to not go to his family for Thanksgiving and instead brought their two kids to visit her fathers and siblings. Connor was on vacation from law school in Boston, Sam had a break from Annapolis, Brendan was playing the Blackhawks in Chicago on Friday and Reagan was still a senior in high school. Ian and Mickey were thrilled to have all of the kids smushed into their childhood home for the next couple of days. The Gallagher-Milkovich house hold was as it used to be. Loud but full of love as the kids crammed into their old rooms, added new children to mix and reunited as one unit. 

 

 

5:00 AM

“Get up Private! Its time to move!” yelled Reagan in her brother’s face as the sun rose through the window. 

“Ray, I’m a Midshipman. I go to Annapolis not West Point.” he corrects wiping the sleep from his eyes. 

“Ok. Get up Midshipman you already missed lift in the shed with Dad and Brendan, you at least need to run with me.” Reagan tells him pulling at his arm. 

“Can’t we skip today?” He asked looking outside and seeing the white powder covering the sidewalks. But the streets were clear and he knew that that was enough for Reagan to run on. The 17 year old had just committed to Vanderbilt to be the first girl to play D1 baseball and he knew that meant she never took days off anymore. Even holidays where the snow in the Chicago ghetto was over a foot tall. 

“Absolutely not. Now lets roll out Midshipman. We have 8 miles and 5 set of hill sprints to get done before breakfast.” She calls as she throws his NAVY sweatshirt and a running hat at him. 

“Did anyone ever tell you you’d make a good drill sergeant?” He asked as she skipped down the hallway. 

 

 

6:30 AM

Connor was woken by the smell of bacon and Rose’s signature french toast casserole in the oven. He had slept on the couch last night as Yev and Priya were in his old room, and the newly weds were too much to handle. He raised himself from his make shift bed to see his sister, red-headed baby strapped to her chest as she flipped over the bacon in the pan. 

“Need some help Mom?” He asked his older sister as she almost burned herself with bacon grease. 

“Yes please. Take care of the bacon while i do something that is less likely to hurt Brooklyn.” She refers to the baby who was almost scalded by the splashing grease. 

Connor takes over the bacon and the kitchen falls into a comfortable silence until,

“I don’t think Jordan wants to marry me.” Rose tells him in passing as she cuts fruit. Like she didn't just drop a giant bombshell. 

“Why the fuck not?” Connor asks. “If i wasn't gay and you’re brother I’d consider you a catch. Plus you popped out a kid for him.”

“Yeah well Stanley didn't didn't exactly stay when I had his baby so who knows.” Rose says referring to her four-year-old still sleeping upstairs. 

“Yeah, well Stanley was a creep who preyed on teenage girls. Jordan is nice, and loves you. Why wouldn’t he want to get married?” 

“I don’t know i think he just likes where we are. His brother got married and is miserable. And we’re happy with our lives, and are committed to each other. But you know what people said about Maddie, calling her a bastard. I don’t want my daughters to deal with that their entire lives.” 

“Well anyone who still cares about kids being bastards needs to pull their heads out of their asses. Secondly, lets be honest we’re all probably bastards at birth. We know Yev is, and Ray, And we all turned out fine. Its not about blood its about love. Nature vs nurture and all that shit.” 

“Wow. Really eloquent for a Harvard lawyer.” She pokes fun at her brother. 

“First year Law Student, I have time to learn how to be eloquent.” he corrects and she laughs a full-bodied Rose laugh that echoed through the kitchen. 

“What about you? Still seeing that rich boy?” Rose asked her little brother. 

“Nah, he cheated. but I was going to break up with him anyway. I’ve got too much work. I gotta say, it is pretty lonely though. I forgot how pent up I get without regular sex” Connor says pretending it didn't bother him as much as it did. He hated that all the boys he dated thought that because they were gay, they didn't have to be monogamous. Connor wanted that exclusivity but none of them believed that gay men were supposed to only have one lover. The Gallagher boy blamed Brian Kinney and the rest of _Queer as Folk_ for that one. 

“Eh, you’ll find someone.” Rose told him. “If you weren’t gay and my brother I’d consider you a catch.” 

 

 

7:30 AM

“Dads! Lets go. We want food!” Yev yelled down the hall to where his two fathers were still locked away in their room. 

“Yeah Grandpas! We want food!” Echoed Maddie from her spot at the kitchen table. The two soon emerged and greeted their family, only to be completely ignored as their presences meant the beginning of the meal. 

“Love you guys too. So happy you’re here.” Ian replies to his family’s ignorance. 

“Good morning Dad! How are you today?” asks Reagan faking her enthusiasm. 

“Not you. We’re sick of you.” replies Mickey as he kisses the top of her head and steals a piece of melon off her plate. 

“What smells so bad?” Asks Rose as she finally sits down at the table having served and fed the entire family. 

“That would be Reagan and me.” answers Sam. “She just put me through one of the hardest workouts I have ever had to do. And I’m going to be a Marine in May.” 

“Ray, aren’t you worried you’re going a little too hard?” Asked Rose. 

“Absolutely not, I need to be the best Rose. Otherwise I’m never going to get the respect of my team mates.” the younger sister argued. 

“R-E-S-P-E-C-T” sang Maddie while smacking her plate. 

“That was awesome Mads” complimented Jordan. 

“She’s musical?” Yev asked Rose before turning to Maddie. “What other songs do you know little one?” 

“This SHIT is bananas B-A-N-A-N-A-S!” she yelled waving her hands in the air. The whole family cracked up except for Rose who turned red with embarrassment and flicked Jordan’s ear. 

“I told you to stop listening to explicit songs in the car with her.” She reprimanded her boyfriend. 

“Shit is hardly a bad word. Its not like asshole or cock, or fuck” helps Mickey. 

“SHIT! ASS! COCK! FUCK!” echoes Maddie causing the whole room to roar with laugher again. 

“Sorry Rosie, that ones on me.” Mickey apologizes as the family goes back to eating. 

 

 

10:30 am

Yev and Priya are cuddled on the couch watching the parade when Brendan walks through the door from morning skate with his team at the United Center. The entire house is starting to smell like roast turkey as Ian and Rose start in on the meal preparations. 

“Anything left from breakfast? I’m starving.” Brendan greets as he shakes off the snow on his shoulders. 

“Yeah, i saved you some eggs and an apple. They’re in the fridge.” Rose tells her little brother who heats up his food and goes to join Yev and his wife in the living room. 

“Hey Priya, isn't that the same spot where you guys lost your virginities?” Brendan asks doing his best to be the meddlesome little brother he had been all through Yev and Priya’s 16 year relationship. The two had started dating in Middle School and had never stopped, despite Yev’s fame and Priya’s college education. The two had always been loyal to each other. 

“Yours still in tact since the last time we talked?” Yev asked giving it back just as much.

“Nah, lost it to your mom on the road.” Brendan retorts earning a chuckle from Yev and the room’s focus goes back to the Parade on screen. 

“How’s being a Rookie going B?” asks Yev during a commercial. 

“Its intense. but I’m playing on the second line so I feel good. Are you guys still coming tomorrow or do you have to go back to LA?” Brendan asks hopeful that his big brother can see his first game in front of his home crowd. 

“I wouldn't miss it for anything. I already bought tickets for when you play the Kings, Sharks and Ducks.” 

“I’mma need to get you guys Gallagher jerseys. What sizes?” 

“I’ll take a large and what do you want Priya?” Yev asks. 

“I’ll take an XL for this year and then we’ll see what size I am after the baby comes.” Priya replies. 

“Yeah sure!” says Brendan as he makes a note in his phone before his eyes widen and he turns to his brother.

“A baby!” he asks excitedly. 

“Yeah. We’re expecting. Four months today. And we wanted to ask you to be the god father, since Connor and I are Maddie and Brooklyn’s and you’re the next eldest.”

“Absolutely! Of course! Have you told dads yet?” Brendan answered excitedly. 

“No, not yet, we were going to do it at Christmas at our house in LA. But you’re going to be in Montreal so we wanted to tell you now.” Yev explains as Brendan pulls him off the couch and into a hug. 

“You can’t tell anyone Brendan.” Priya says making him pinkie swear before being crushed into a hug as well. “Also, you have to get rid of that terrible Movember mustache before you get to be in any pictures with my son.” She teases about the terrible patchy mess above Brendan’s lip. 

“Hey, technically I’m still going through puberty.” He cries defensively before leaving the two expecting parents to glow in their happiness alone. 

 

 12:00 PM

“Rose made cookies.” Reagan whispers as she slides into Connor’s room. 

“What kind of cookies?” Connor asks, knowing what Reagan’s idea is. 

“Rosie cookies.” She says referring to Rose’s oatmeal cinnamon chocolate chip cookies. 

“Whats the game plan?” Connor asks. 

“Its mean. But desperate times call for desperate measures.” Reagan warns. “Are you man enough for this mission?” 

“I believe so.” Connor asks. 

“I need you to be the best defense lawyer in the world after whats about to happen. This is a four party plan. the Sniper, the Alibi, the Runner and the Mouth. Ok?”

“Ok” Connor nods along. 

“What I’m about to tell you can never leave this room.” Reagan warns and Connor rolls his eyes at his sisters dramatics. 

“Just get on with it Ray.” Connor pushes. 

“The Sniper is in position as we speak. At my call, he is going to pinch the weakness, triggering a false alarm in the house, which will distract the guard.” She says referring to pinching baby Brooklyn, a tactic they had all used with Maddie back in the day when Rose would get worked up over something and they would need a way out of the conversation. It was mean, but they _were_ Milkoviches. 

“The Alibi will be positioned in the Pig Sty, and act as the cover for when the Guard is sure to accuse either the Sniper or the Runner. While the guard is distracted the Runner - thats me - will grab the first batch of cookies off the cooling rack and hide them in the first floor bathroom where the Mouth - thats you- will be waiting. You will fill your school bag with them and take them upstairs where you are sure to be stopped. Thats when you do you’re Harvard Law stuff and get us those cookies.” She finishes looking hype for her mission. She bounces out of the room and into the bathroom across the hall where Connor sees her applying eye black as war paint. 

“Aunt Reagan!” calls Maddie as she hurries down the hallway and into her aunts arms. 

“Whats up Maddie Muffin?” asks the elder girl tugging affectionately at one of her niece’s pig tails. 

“Mommy told me to tell you that instead of pinching her baby, you should come and eat the extra batch of cookies she made for you and the boys. And that next time to look for the baby monitor in your room when you call the twins in.” 

Reagan sighs in defeat and calls the twins out of position, they emerge from their room dressed in all black as well and Connor can’t help but laugh at his siblings as they all head down stairs for cookies. 

 

4:30 PM

“SAM! Get in here now!” yells Connor from his old bedroom where he had been locked away for hours doing God knows what. Sam quickly hurries in to see Connor staring at a video on his computer. 

“Whats going on?” asks Sam. 

“What are your thoughts on gay porn?” asks Connor. 

“Is the nature of our relationship about to change?” asks the marine. 

“No, no. like can you look at this video for me and tell me what you see?” asks the older brother. 

“Sure.” he says and comes over to watch.  “I see two really big penises. ummm… that red head guy kinda looks like dad.” he comments. 

“Thats what I thought too. I tried to look for more videos from this actor, but this is the only one I could find. Its from like 30 years ago.” 

“Let me get Brendan.” Sam says and goes and gets his twin from next door. The two boys play the video for the new comer without telling him why. 

About a minute in Brendan asks. “Why does that red headed guy look really familiar?” 

“We think he looks like Dad.” explains Sam. 

“What are you all looking at?” asks Yev coming up behind the group. “Oh god! Why are you watching that together?” he asks disgusted when he sees the graphic scene on the screen. 

“Look at the red head.” Connor instructs. 

“It looks like Dad.” Yev says staring at the actor in the video. 

“Should we ask the girls?” asks Brendan. 

“Should you ask the girls what?” asks Rose’s voice as she and Reagan stand by the door.

“Come here and tell us what you notice.” Yev instructs his sisters. the two girls enter the room and start to watch the video. 

“Is that dad?” asks Reagan as Rose’s eyes squint as if trying to get a better look at the guy giving the blow job. The next thing they know the video cuts to the red head taking it from the big dude and they see the familiar eagle tattoo. 

“HOLY SHIT!” they all say at once. 

“Thats Dad alright!” 

Reagan starts laughing and soon the others follow. They are all leaning on each other as this new information kicks in. The less reckless, more well behaved of their fathers was in a porno. A really bad one too about a Pilgrim and a Native American called Thanks-GIVING starring Emmanuel and Curtis. 

“So which one is Dad? Emmanuel or Curtis?” asks Sam. 

“Dad is Curtis. Emanuel, I guess, was a big talent back then I found plenty of his stuff. None of Curtis’s though.” 

“I can’t believe Dad did a thanksgiving themed porno.” says Rose. 

“I can’t believe Connor was watching a thanksgiving themed porno.” comments Reagan causing all of the siblings to fall back into a fit of laughter. 

 

6:00 PM

Thanksgiving was full of giggles and Mickey and Ian couldn't figure out why. Ian would thank someone for passing the potatoes and the kids would make eye contact and collapse into a roar of laughter. They could barely make it five minutes without someone snorting or chortling or choking on their food. 

After Brendan almost turns blue from a green bean Mickey decides that enough is enough. 

“Alright. What the hell is going on?” The tougher father asks. 

“Not much. We just saw an old friend of Dad’s today. Right Ray?” asks Sam and the two start giggling again. 

“Who?” asks Ian, not thinking of any friends that the kids could have seen that would cause this sort of reaction. 

“Curtis.” says Connor causing Ian to start choking on his water he had taken a sip of. 

“What are you talking about?” asks Mickey still confused, having long forgotten about Ian’s stage name from 30 years previously. 

“Remember, from Boys Town. Mick? Curtis…” Ian draws out hoping that Mickey will remember and he wont need to remind his husband of his big mistake in front of all of their children. 

“Wait. How would they know about you being a stripper?” Asks Mickey. 

“Dad was a stripper?” splutters Reagan. 

“But Dad can’t dance for shit.” points out Connor. 

“Yeah, but he has a big dick and abs to kill for so the old men probably didn't care.” argues Rose. 

“How do you know how big your dad’s penis is?” Asks Mickey. 

“Well, i figured it out once I knew how gay sex works because you would occasionally walk funny.” says Sam. 

“Plus the video helps too.” Brendan adds. 

“How did you guys find our video? I hid that with the VHS’s years ago.” Mickey says. 

“You guys made a sex tape?” Roses asks in greater shock that she ever thought possible. 

“If you didn’t find that tape, what video are you talking about?” asks Mickey. 

‘The porno.” explains Yev. “The thanksgiving themed porno starring Daniel and Curtis.” 

“Fucking hell Ian.” sighs Mickey leaning back in his seat and turning to look at his husband. 

“How was I supposed to know they would ever find it. Its a 30 year old gay porno based on Thanksgiving. its not my fault our gay son is so lonely and horny that he found the one day of the year where that video would be some one topical.”

“Fuck everyone. Thanksgiving is cancelled. I’ll see you all tomorrow.” Mickey says leaving the table. “C’mon Curtis.” he reaches back and grabs Ian’s hand dragging him along to their bed room. 

All of the siblings left around the table start to laugh again as a Galla-vich family holiday turns to a mess once again. But they wouldn't have it any other way. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know if you have any prompts or story ideas that you want me to write. I am writing a Christmas companion to this, but other than that I only have partial ideas so please help out!


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